White Pine Camp Gate

Bridge & Teahouse View

Bridge to Tea House

Main Boathouse

Inside Teahouse

Yoga Bldg. / Boathouse & Canoes

Boathouse Dock

Boathouse Dock

Lake trail to Boathouse / Yoga

Canoes and Kayaks for guest use

Queen Room for 1 or 2 people

Room for two

Take refuge ‘Back in the Healing Woods,’ at White Pine Camp (built in 1907).  This authentic Adirondack Great Camp will provide an extraordinary setting for an experiential weekend of nourishing yoga, guided and silent meditations, and sound healing.  Plus, there will be ample time to connect with nature. 

This weekend will provide an opportunity for you to simply recollect yourself - back to your senses.  Join us, unplug from your usual busy routine, and leave with a refreshed sense of what is most essential.

ABOUT THE VENUE

White Pine Camp has hosted prominent owners and guests and served as the Summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge during the summer of 1926. Today this is one of only a handful of Great Camps that is open to the public.

Although rustic in design, White Pine Camp has all the modern comforts while being situated on 3900' of shoreline on the secluded Osgood Pond and River. The views are stunning! Paddle in the morning mist or during other free time in one of the many canoes or kayaks available for guest use. Walk among the tall white pines on 2-1/2 miles of woodland trails. Along your way you will find some sweet spots to just 'be'.

This historic secluded Great Camp will serve beautifully for an introspective retreat weekend. Come see why so many others before have come to this magnificent spot in the Adirondack Mountains.

Should you like to participate in other activities there is a ping pong table, pool table, set your own pins bowling alley, badmiton, horseshoes and board games in the main lodge.

PROGRAM INTENTION

To provide a quiet space in nature 'back in the healing woods' where participants can explore the wonder and mystery of life. Yoga, meditation, iRest yoga nidra (deep relaxing self-inquiry meditation) and sound healing sessions will be weaved throughout the time we are together to help you more easily let-go and connect with what is most important.

The yoga style is slow flowing, therapeutic, and adaptive. Body sensing cues help you find your perfect pose, that is comfortable and steady in both body and breath - function over form.

No yoga or meditation experience required.

Meet me there and where you are at.
With kindness, Mary Bartel

Click here for Mary bio.

ACCOMMODATION

Grest Rooms

Retreat participants will be accommodated in the Main Lodge building in units called Longfellow and Kirkwood. Situated about 300 feet from the lake, which is visible through the trees. Enjoy a common living/dining room with small free-standing cast iron woodstove and kitchen. Two bedrooms-one with a queen bed, and one with two single beds. Full bathroom with shower stalls (no tub). Covered porch.walk-way. Kirkwood has a deck.

The Great Room

The social retreat of an Adirondack Great Camp is the Great Room, a rustically grandiose meeting place. White Pine Camp's Great Room is available to guests at all times and provides a comfortable setting with furnishings typical of the era, including stick furniture, leather couches and decorative taxidermy. Firewood in the huge flagstone fireplace is always laid for guests to light at their leisure. Guests may borrow the Great Room's reading materials, board games and puzzles; and those with laptops or smart phones can use the room's Wi-Fi to connect to the interne, although it can be sketchy if you don't have Verizon service. The screened-in front porch offers a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the vista of the property, surrounding forest and Osgood Pond.

White Pine Camp offers a step back in time. Allow yourself to unplug, if you will. The cabins do not have televisions, telephones, or radios. A phone is available free of charge in the Great Room to check in at home with loved ones. Enjoy the peace and tranquility.

Outside the Great Room is a common area with a large patio and fire-pit for enjoying evening fires.

The New Boathouse
We will be meeting for our yoga and sound healing session in the boathouse built for Calvin Coolidge during his summer stay in 1926. It has been restored as a gathering place for events with a large open space with a wooden floor and a wood burning stove to keep us warm and cozy.

WHAT IS SUPPLIED AND WHAT TO BRING

Your beds will be made when your arrive, linens and blankets provided, and your fire laid and ready to light in the living room. Towels, soaps, paper products and basic cleaning supplies are provided. The kitchen is fully set-up for simple cooking and dining including a refrigerator, stove, microwave, drip style coffee maker, toaster, pots and pans etc.

Vegetarian meals provided. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be as follows: 

• Breakfast food will be available in both units for you to prepare as you wish: Organic granola, oatmeal, yogurt, bread, peanut butter and jams, seasonal fruit, nuts and seeds, local farm fresh eggs, organic regular coffee and herbal teas.
• Lunch - a colorful array of nutritious foods will be set out in the kitchen of Kirkwood for preparing sandwiches or a fresh salad.
• Dinner - vegetarian entrees will be served on Fri. and Sat. night.
• BBQs are provided for our use should anyone wish to grill meats, veggies, etc. Bring special items for dietary needs or snacks.

If you wish to purchase food locally, it is advised you do so prior to arrival at camp to avoid having to make the 13 mile trip to Saranac Lake and 25 miles to Lake Placid. Grocery shopping options in Saranac Lake include a small and a larger Tops Market, Aldi's and Nori's Village Market (healthfood store). Placid has a large Price Chopper and Hannaford, both of which offer wider selections. Hanneford's has organic options at the most reasonable prices.

SPA TREATMENTS

With advance request and at an additional charge, we will work to arrange appointments for massage, shiatsu, or reiki.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

All the weekend programming is optional, participate as much or as little as you like. Following is the tentative schedule.

Friday:

• Arrive anytime in the afternoon - email or text Mary your ETA
• 4 PM Check-in time (earlier if rooms are ready)
• 5:00 PM Yoga & Meditation in #22 New Boathouse
• 6:30 PM Dinner and free time
• Fireside Orientation

Saturday:

• 7:30 AM - Meditation and Yoga in #22 New Boathouse
• 9 AM - Breakfast time
• 10:30 AM - Walking meditation on the lake trail / Sitting meditation
• 12:30 - Lunch and Free Time
  
• 4:30 PM - Gentle Body Sensing Yoga and Yoga Nidra Meditation
• 6:15 PM - Dinner
• 7:45 PM - Sound Meditation (sound healing session) in #22 New Boathouse

Sunday:

• 7:30 AM - Meditation and Yoga
• 9:15 AM - Breakfast
• 10:30 AM - Silent paddle (weather permitting) or Yoga Nidra
• 12:30 - Gather for closing / sharing
• Continue to enjoy the property at your leisure
• Depart when it feels right

*Full weekend cost:

• $699/ (2 people private room - queen bed)
• $422/pp (double room - 2 twins)
• $499/1 person (private room - queen bed)

There is space for 10 people to lodge at White Pine Camp. Others who wish to join the retreat may contact Mary for programming rate only.

*Prices are inclusive for 2 nights lodging, bed tax, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, 4 yoga & meditation sessions, walking meditation session, and sound healing session, use of the lake front camp amenities including canoes and kayaks, full kitchen and BBQ for preparing your own snacks or special meals if required. This retreat is limited to 10 participants. All programming is optional.

Contact information and to make a reservation:

• Mary Bartel via email or call 518-354-2425.
• Full payment due upon booking.
• Checks payable to Inner Quest Yoga, mail to 238 Broadway, Saranac Lake, NY, 12983.

Other considerations:

• No-smoking.
• Retreat is not suitable for children.

Cancellation Policy:

• 50% refund up until 2 weeks prior to arrival. For a 50% refund, cancellation must be made fourteen full days prior to the retreat check-in time and day (4:00 PM), otherwise no refund.
• If we are able to rebook your space, we will refund you completely minus an administrative fee of $100.

HOW TO GET THERE

Driving directions from Buffalo, Rochester, and Points West

• Take the New York State Thruway (I-90) east to I-81 in Syracuse.
• Follow I-81 north to Watertown, then take Route 3 east towards Saranac Lake, to Route 30 towards Malone.
• Take a right onto Route 86.
• At more than half of a mile on the left is White Pine Camp's sign.

Driving directions from Metropolitan New York and New Jersey area

• Take the New York State Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 24 (Albany).
• Continue on I-87 (Adirondack Northway) to Exit 30.
• Follow Route 9 north to Route 73, west to Route 86 and west to Saranac Lake.
• Follow Route 86 into Paul Smiths.
• Look for White Pine Camp's sign on the right hand side.

Driving directions from Montreal

• Take Auto-route 15 south to the Champlain crossing, where it connects with I-87 south.
• Take Exit 38 to Route 374, west to Route 3 to Saranac Lake.
• Take a right onto Route 86
• •At more than half of a mile on the left is White Pine Camp's sign.

Driving directions from Ottawa

• Take the south route to the Cornwall Bridge.
• Pick up Route 37 east to Malone.
• Follow Route 30, south to Paul Smiths, then east on Route 86.
• At more than half of a mile on the left is White Pine Camp's sign.

Arrival by bus
Bus Service Adirondack Trailways operates daily between New York City and Saranac Lake, with east or west connections available in Albany, New York. A taxi ride would need to be arranged for the 13 mile drive to the Camp.

Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Adirondack Regional Airport (SLK).

TESTIMONIALS from 2016 Camp Oquista Retreats:

Back in the Healing Woods Meditation and Yoga Retreat was spectacular! I had such a wonderful time. Yoga on the dock was exceptional. The camp was perfect with wonderful whole foods. Spectacular views and very comfortable sleeping quarters. The meditative walk and Reiki was unforgetable. I also loved the intimacy of the small group. I enjoyed thoroughly meeting such great people. I am so grateful and blessed for this experience. Lastly, Mary you are an amazing and nourishing teacher. Thank you again for the truly beautiful healing experience.
Namaste, Lisa, Syracuse, NY

This was our first yoga retreat. It was a wonderful experience. The yoga sessions at 7 am and 5 pm on the dock, the silent walks, the setting on a beautiful lake, and particularly, the teacher, Mary Bartel, was expertlyconducted the sessions and communicated important concepts.
Enrique & Maria, NY, NY

Thank you for a wonderful weekend. It dovetailed beautifully with many of the things I have been working on personally. It was also interesting for me to observe the growth (evolution) of your practice - especially the integration of breath into poses and the emphasis that so much of yoga is about the connections with the breath (vs. an emphasis on the poses as physical mountains of challenge). It is all such a remarkable journey.

I so appreciate the time and care that you devoted to the preparation of the retreat schedule (and materials and activities) and how the weekend was informed by your intuitive flexibility re: participant needs. Hope to work with you again!

With so much stress and craziness in my life, this was just the perfect retreat to help bring me back to center. I absolutely loved the mix of relaxing yoga, meditation, and dharma which just flowed through a weekend of sunshine, swimming, boating, wonderful food and lodge. I would be here every weekend if I could be!

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